Seeing The Light
by Castiel V2 1997
Summary: Hope decides that he cannot go into stasis. Not without doing something first. HopexLight.
1. Peace At Last

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Square Enix or anything to do with Final Fantasy.

**Chapter 1/3.**

This is my first fanfic so please don't flame too much.

After we killed Orphan, escaped from Cocoon as it crash-landed on Gran Pulse and Fang and Vanille sacrificed themselves to save us all, I finally realized what had made me so miserable. That I wouldn't see them again for... Well, who knows when we will rise from crystal stasis?

_I guess this is my last chance to say what I want to say. No more hesitation. No more sadness. I have to get it over and done with. I've broken, and maybe this will help me finally come to terms with everything that we've done. Well, Vanille, thanks for giving me the help I needed to do this. I'll miss you all..._

Calming my nerves and fear, I walked behind her and tapped on her shoulder to get her attention. "Hope?" she asked me, without turning to face me. "Turn around." I told her, in the tone she normally used. When she had, I started speaking again. "Well, Light, this isn't easy for me to tell you, but I... I think I know why I've been so miserable for all this time. I realized who was making me feel like this." "Who was it, then?" Light asked me. All I needed was one word, "You." then I wrapped my arms around her neck and kissed her. Her lips were soft, almost like silk. At that moment we started turning to crystal but I didn't let go. I could happily spend eternity like this. She kissed me back which made me thank the Maker that I had met Light.

I had found peace.


	2. I Didn't Expect This

This chapter is set in the beginning of XIII-2 when they come out of crystal stasis.

**Chapter 2/3.**

I felt really weird suddenly... Kind of like I was being pulled out of my body. I could only think of one thing that'd be like this.

_Am I... coming out of crystal stasis? This quickly? Really? Well, I guess Light's going to kill me now for what I just did._

When I could see again, I saw the kind of look Light gave Snow right before she punched him in the face. After a few moments of awkward silence, I heard someone speaking. "So you must be Hope. Hi." I looked around and saw Serah, Light's sister. Somehow getting my voice back, I introduced myself to her. I could still feel the trademark: "You are about to die." stare coming from Light's direction. "Serah? What is Light's first name? She never told me." I asked her. "Claire. Her first name is Claire." Serah told me, then she walked over to Snow. I felt Light grab my shoulder and then, somehow, I managed to wrestle her to the floor and then I ran away.

After what I judged as a half-hour of running, I doubled over, exhausted and gasping for breath in front of a wall that was 5 metres high... and then I looked over my shoulder and saw Claire running towards me with me, Lionheart in her hands. "I don't want to die!" I screamed at her. She actually stopped running when I said that. And then threw the Lionheart into the wall, about 2 metres up. Seeing my chance, I used it as a springboard to jump to the top and haul myself over. Relieved that I had got away for now, I stepped forward. And fell straight down. All I could do was close my eyes and start screaming. Then, I fell into darkness.

_Light's POV..._

"I don't want to die!" Did Hope really think that I would kill him, after everything that's happened? But then I was cut off from my thoughts when I heard Hope start screaming, but then he stopped abruptly a few seconds later. I knew something bad had happened but I didn't know what. So I did the only thing I could and ran back to Serah and the others to tell them what had happened...

2 Days Later.

"Where the hell am I?" I asked myself when I regained consciousness. I almost had a heart attack when a familiar voice said I was in hospital. "Claire?" I questioned. My answer was the noise of someone getting up and out of their chair. "Did you really think I was going to kill you?" she told me. "And before you ask, it's because you used to be a L'Cie that you healed this quickly."

"OK, that makes sense." As Claire walked away, I asked her out of curiosity. "What would you have done?" When she said it, there was a strange look in her eyes. I hadn't seen it before, so I decided to do as she asked. "If you follow me, I'll show you." I got up, dressed in my normal clothes and followed her to her velocycle. But I was cut short when, out of nowhere, Light turned around and kissed me.

_So this is what Light was going to do._

"Claire?" "Yes, Hope?" I didn't wait to tell her this time. "I have a present for your 22nd birthday. Just letting you know."

As I said it, my thoughts drifted to the 10000 gil ring that was safe in my house in Bodhum. "Come on, Claire, let's go back to your place." I told her as we got on the velocycle, heading for our future together.


	3. 22nd Birthday

I don't think I need to put another disclaimer. Anyway here's chapter 3.

**Chapter 3.**

On Lightning's 22nd Birthday...

"Come on, you guys, Claire's going to be here in an hour so hurry the hell up!" I was getting very frustrated, and he had good reason to be. It was "Lightning" Claire Farron's 22nd birthday today, and I didn't get it all done on time, he was running the risks of either: a) a slow, painful death caused by Claire Farron. b) severe injury and confinement to a hospital bed or c) being tied feet-first to a ceiling fan and left to hang there for several hours. None of which were preferable or wanted.

"I'd prefer option D." I told myself. "What's option D, Hope?" Serah asked me. "Nothing. Come on, we should try and get this finished." I told her, changing the subject.

**A Small Time Gap...**

50 minutes later, we had finished up with the decorations and the cake. As we headed to go upstairs, I remembered it. "Hey, where's the fuse-box?" I asked them. Serah gave me directions, and I headed into the basement and flicked all the switches off then I ran upstairs. Finding them, I told them everything was ready. "So now we wait." Snow said.

After a few minutes, we heard the front door open and the light switch flicking repeatedly. We all had to repress giggles when we heard Claire swearing. Then, once I was downstairs, I had to lie flat and crawl into the basement while the others snuck into the kitchen. I flipped the switches on and made my way into the kitchen to the others. Flicking the light on, we scared the life out of her. "Surprise!" We all started laughing our heads off when Snow took a right straight to the skull and crumpled on the floor. "So, do you like what we've done... Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" I told them all, running into the basement to get the cake. Emerging 5 minutes later, cake in my hands, I put it on the table. "Enjoy." I gave them permission to cut the cake and told them to leave the centre of the cake. "Light, your present from me is in there. You're not seeing it now, though. Later, you can see for yourself, what it is." I explained what they wanted a reason. They trusted me and didn't eat the centre of the cake. After they'd finished, I brought out the drinks and 2 hours of drinking and talking after, I got what I wanted: Everyone else drunk. I wasn't planning to take advantage of her, but I knew what I wanted to do, and they all had to be this way for it to work. Snow was drunk and kept embarrassing everyone. Fang was coming on to an embarrassed Vanille and Serah had passed out on the table 40 minutes ago and with Sazh I just didn't know what to say. I took the cake upstairs into Claire's bedroom, and then I came back down. "Light, can you follow me, please?" I asked her as I took her hand. She nodded and when we were out of the room, I picked her up bridal-style in my arms, making her yelp in surprise. "Hope, put me down!" she was squealing at me, hitting me in the shoulders and arms. "Claire, you're drunk. You shouldn't be walking around." I told her, finally getting silence. Taking Claire into her bedroom, I set her down on her feet. "You can get your present now, Claire. Just pull the cake apart and you'll be able to see it." I instructed her. As she did, I thought about how much I had to pay to get this done. Ah, it didn't matter. My thoughts about Light's reaction when she opened the black box did.

_Lightning's POV._

I had my suspicions when Hope told me to pull the cake apart and I was confused when I saw the little black box embedded in the cake, but I had an idea of what he was going to do.

_Hope wouldn't ask. Would he?_

_I know I have feelings for him. But would he really ask?_

_I'll just have to wait and see what Hope does._

"What's in the box, Hope?" Damn. Wrong tone of voice.

_Hope's POV._

When she asked me, the way she said it, in that cold, blank voice that she uses so well, it did two things to me. It scared me, but it also made me realize that this wasn't going to work. Leaving the box and ring where they were, I walked away. I had broken once, a long time ago. I barely put myself back together that first time. I wouldn't be able to do that now. I heard her asking me to wait, but I didn't care anymore. When I got downstairs, the first thing I heard Vanille's voice. "What's wrong, Hope?" she asked me. She actually sounded concerned. "Ask Lightning." I said to Vanille, who was actually stunned at what I called her, then I opened the door that led out of the house. It was torrential, but I needed that. It would make sure that Lightning or any of the others would be able to see where I was going and follow me. I needed to be alone right now and I thought of the ideal place. I headed to the Fall of Cocoon monument to be alone.

_Lightning's POV._

I went downstairs as Hope left. Vanille asked what me what had happened and I tossed her the box, still unopened. One look told me that she knew, and that was all I needed. I kicked open the back door and looked for my velocycle. When I got to it, I got out my helmet, strapped it on and turned the ignition key. I could guess where Hope was headed, but I couldn't let him know I was there when I arrived.

**Time Gap... **

I landed 5 minutes away and made my way up, as quietly as possible.

_Hope's POV._

_Lonely. That's how I feel right now. I guess this is my Fortress of Solitude._

As I got out the Helter-Skelter which Lightning had taught me to use a few months back, on my 16th, I hoped she didn't come after me. For her sake. Once the bullet flies, if it's me firing, I don't miss. I wonder where I'll go for one last time.

_I know just the place._

I knew Light had come after me, so I decided to slip away quietly and head back to the others to say goodbye. I silently faded away into the darkness. When I was like this, running in the shadows, I was virtually a ghost. Undetectable.

_Lightning's POV._

I got to the summit of the crystal mountain to find nothing.

_Where is he!  
Guess he's gone.  
I'll head back. No point in looking for someone who doesn't want to be found._

As I ran at a full sprint back to my velocycle, I could swear there was a presence in the shadows alongside me. When I got back, I heard Hope inside the house, speaking to Vanille. I knew she'd spotted me. Making no noise, I climbed inside.

_Hope's POV._

"Vanille."  
"Hope! You came back!"  
"Not for long. This is the last time you'll be seeing me."  
What... what do you mean! Why are you saying this, Hope!"  
"This is the end of the line for me, Vanille. I'm sorry it had to be like this. Goodbye."

I saw her eyes flick away for a split-second. It was all I needed. I spun around and saw Lightning in the process of climbing in through an open window. I blitzed into the living room and looked for ways out. I saw only the windows.

_The windows it is, then._

I dived through the glass and landed perfectly on the other side. I had a short head-start and I had to use it. Light was easily a faster runner than me.

"Hope! You're not getting away again!" I saw Lightning rip the window frame clean out and vault over to the other side. I saw her start towards me, Lionheart in hand.

"How, Lightning? How did it turn out so badly? Well, you can ask Vanille what I told her and you'll know what I'm going to do. Goodbye, Claire." I used her real first name one last time before fading into the darkness as she tried to grapple me. I heard her scream in frustration and misery as I walked away.

_Now she knows how I feel._

_Lightning's POV._

I listened as Vanille told me what Hope had said to her. When she told me about "The end of the line", I knew what he meant.

"Vanille."  
"Yes?"  
"Can they still fight?"  
"Not in this state, but yeah, they can."  
"Get them up and give them their weapons."  
"Why?"  
"Because Hope isn't dying until I'm dead."

When they were all up and armed, Vanille included, they asked me why I'd gotten them up. I decided to be truthful.

"Hope's heading for a fight to the death he knows he can't win alone."

_That_ brought them all to full attention. When they were all ready, we set off.

**There will be more chapters. I can't leave it like this.**

**And Assassin: This is why it classes as angst.**

**If you're wondering about Vanille, they found a way to get them out of crystal without being crushed by 10 gigatons of Cocoon. I hope you all like it.**


	4. In Death, Sacrifice

**Me: I'm back *dodges lots of random things being thrown at him***

**Anyway here's an update for this as well. I know I haven't posted any chapters in a while, so I deserve some flames just because of the waiting for a new chapter. I hope you like it.**

_In the Archylte Steppe..._

"Here I am. Sure, I'm going to die, but I'm not dying that easily..." I told myself as I got out my Lionheart, flicking it into blade mode. I spotted a King Behemoth and headed towards it, ready for a long fight. When the Behemoth saw me, it ran straight towards me, ready to strike as soon as it stopped running. I laughed and slashed at its throat...

_Lightning's Perspective..._

I don't want to be following Fang and Vanille, but they knew the way better than any of us, so I didn't have a choice. "If he wanted a fight, he'd head for the Archylte Steppe." Fang turned and started running in another direction. Without stopping or thinking, I followed her.

_Hope's Perspective..._

I knew I was hurt badly, yet somehow I still carried on fighting. The Behemoth was as injured as me, barely being able to fight. With the last of its strength, it smashed me through the air and into a tree. Then it died from the injuries it took during the fight.

Memories of Light and the others replayed through my mind, especially me kissing Claire as we turned to crystal. "Well... at least... I'll be happy..." I coughed up blood and that told me I was near the end of my life. I saw Lightning and the others running towards me, but they wouldn't get there in time. As they came into view, I stopped breathing and died.

_Lightning's Perspective..._

Vanille got to Hope first, due to her somehow being a faster runner than all of us. When she broke down crying, I felt my heart slowly start to shatter. Fang got to her next, and then fell to her knees crying as well, I felt like I was burning to ash from the inside out.

I got there, and heard the words nobody should ever have to. "He's dead. Hope is dead." My sobbing scream could be heard from miles away._ No. Why you? Why now, Hope? Why leave me now..._

This is an angst story, but it's not over yet, so don't worry about that. I got this idea from True Feelings, but I swapped it around so it's Hope who dies, not Claire. I deserve flames for killing Hope, I know.


	5. Freedom!

Here is Chapter 5. Not very long, I know, but I don't think it really needs to be and thanks to everyone who's reviewed. This story should only be 2 chapters longer, but I may have to make it longer than that.

_Italics: _Afterlife or thoughts.

Warning: Snow and Noctis bashing this chapter! And I do mean bashing...

_Hope's Perspective..._

_I woke up in my house in Felix Heights. Having no idea how I got there, because I had just died, I walked through the open door in front of me and spotted my mother sitting down in a chair. "How did you end up here, Hope?"_

"_Misery and having nobody left," I told her. After all, why should I have carried on? Dad had died the year before in a car accident. A pair of idiots racing both smashed into him, killing all 3 of them. _

_He was near the end anyway, but to die like that is just stupid. _

_I was pretty sure that Lightning didn't want anything to do with me anymore. Well, she got what she wanted: me out of her life. _

"_Nobody left? Are you sure?" Images of Lightning and the others once again flashed through my mind, stopping on one that I really didn't want to see: Light, Fang and Vanille crying over my dead body._

_Vanille and Fang I could understand, because all Fang ever wanted was for Vanille to be happy._

_But with Lightning, I had no idea why she was crying. The look she gave me when I got out that ring. I actually thought she would kill me. I was brought back to the present situation by my mother speaking._

"_Hope. You're not ready yet."_

_Then I started to feel strange. It was like I was being dragged back into my body. And then I blacked out..._

_Lightning's Perspective..._

My eyes were red from how long I'd been crying alongside Fang and Vanille. Snow was in a crumpled heap on the floor, out cold. He had tried to move me from Hope's body and got the worst beating in his life. Sazh had got the message and left us alone.

Then I felt Hope's body move. _But that's impossible..._ But then something that made me think I needed my head checked happened...

_Vanille's Perspective..._

_Why, Hope? Why did you do this? _I am a very happy-go-lucky person, it's the way I am. But I couldn't do anything other than cry at seeing Hope like this. Then his eyes opened.

_No. It can't be happening..._ But Hope's eyes were open, than he got up and started running away, screaming in terror. One thought ran through my head.

_I've finally lost my mind..._

_Hope's Perspective..._

The look in Lightning's eyes told me one thing:

_I will rape you._

_I will torture you._

_I will chain you to my bed._

_And I will rape you again and then beat you to death._

Having no other choice, I somehow found the strength to get up, start running for my life and scream. "I DON'T WANT TO DIE AGAIN!" Seeing them all chase after me only made me run faster.

Then I saw metal binding threads fly past me. I made my choice and flipped my Lionheart to gun mode, smashing myself in the side of the head with the barrel. Unconsciousness claimed me once more.

_**2 Week Time-Skip...**_

I woke up lying in a hospital bed with tubes where they _really _shouldn't be. Pulling the invading IV tubes out made me scream, but I got up and got my clothes on.

"Thank God for L'Cie healing." Limping out of the room I was just in, one of the worst thoughts to have at the time came to me.

_I need to find the men's toilets... right now._

After limping around for a while, I found them and went in, only to see the 2nd worst possible person I could right now...

_How do I do this and get past Snow without him seeing me? _I only saw one answer to the problem. Sneaking up behind him, I jumped and smashed his head, face-first, into the sink and then the wall. Snow slid down onto the floor, showing no signs of getting up any time soon.

I went to walk away, but then an idea hit me and I turned around, looking at Snow and smiling.

After rifling through Snow's coat, trouser and shirt pockets, I found what I was looking for...

"Carbuncle Emerald Large Condoms..."

_In case I ever get the chance to sleep with Lightning._

I had a very wide smile on my face as I went into one of the cubicle. It disappeared a few minutes later.

"What the FUCK! They're too small for me. I hate you, Snow!" I then kicked him in the face, which he probably didn't deserve. "Ah. It was fun anyway." I tossed the useless pack back under his coat and left the room...

To see Noctis Caelum walking away from a bed holding some blonde woman with blue eyes and a black skirt, straight towards me with a smug smile on his face, "Piss off."

I threw him out of the nearest window, which made the woman laugh, and then I walked away, getting into an elevator and pressing the Ground Floor button... to see Fang standing right in front of the doors.

_She's probably waiting for it to come down._ I pressed myself to the left side wall. When the doors opened, she went to walk in and got a bad surprise from of me tackling her and running away.

I had more bad luck headed my way though. Light and Vanille came in as I ran past them. "Why do I have so much bad luck?" Diving into my Velocycle, my shaking hands finally slotted the key into the ignition and I drove away at full speed.

Only to look in the mirrors; Light, Vanille, Fang and Serah were all on Velocycles, Light and Serah on one with Fang and Vanille on the other one. They were both after me. _This will be a very long day..._

I did say that Snow and Noctis get bashed, didn't I? Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Please review, I really appreciate it.


	6. AN

Just thought I'd put this in to say I'm putting both my FF13 fics up for adoption, because I'm working on something different, which means I have lost inspiration for both current fics. Just review or PM me if you want to adopt either, and write them out in whatever way you want to.


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